1. Field of the Invention
This invention involves a loading and carrying apparatus for boats and trailers on pickup trucks.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many recreational vehicles, where the living facilities are contained on the primary vehicle chassis, including campers installed on pickup beds, are purchased to enable the user to take along a boat which can be towed on a trailer behind the primary vehicle. An alternative which generally would be less costly and more convenient is the towing of a travel or camping trailer behind a pickup, with the boat and its trailer loaded upon the pickup. For example, such arrangement, the trailer having been located at a camping site, allows the boat and trailer to be unloaded from the pickup and attached to the rear of the pickup for towing to the launching site, and conventional launching.
Previous apparatus has been designed for loading and carrying boats with trailers on pickups trucks. U.S. Pat. No. 3,734,321 discloses a Truck Load Bed Boat Loader and Carrier of similar nature to the present invention. However, this configuration has certain disadvantages which are overcome in the present invention, including a simplified structure and enhanced ability to utilize the pickup when not engaged in carrying a boat and trailer.
What is needed is a loader and carrier which:
a. is able to easily handle a 14- to 16-foot boat upon a standard size pickup truck;
b. provides a traveling position for the boat upon the pickup which is essentially horizontal, allowing gear to be stored inside without elaborate means for securing the gear;
c. is not attached directly to the floor of the pickup box and does not interfere with the original cargo-carrying capacity within the height of the pickup box when configured for boat and trailer carrying;
d. may easily be partially disassembled when not used to load or carry a boat and trailer so as to not interfere with the normal carrying capacity of the Pickup; and
e. utilizes improved trailer tongue guidance resulting in a simpler structure with no members extending distractedly forward of the cab when not carrying a boat and trailer.